Cony Chatter December 2013

A Letter from the Editor...
Tahosa Lodge,
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As I sit here typing the Cony
Chatter, I am often reminded of how
drastically technology has changed.
Sixty-Five years ago a Cony Chatter
would have been made on printing
press. But now, I sit at my desk typing
on a laptop that takes nearly a quarter
of the time to make the Cony Chatter
than it did sixty-five years ago.
(co
It is absolutely insane to think
that over a course of sixty-five years
that a process that took a mere week
to complete only takes one day.
-1
This year has been an incredible
year for Tahosa. We celebrated our 65th
Birthday, we had a record setting attendance at all events, and we
reached the 1,300 mark for registered members in Tahosa making
us one of the largest lodges on the west coast. But what does next
year have in store for us?
You might be wondering why the cover of the Cony Chatter
looks so different... Well there is only one explanation for this. This
is Tahosa Lodge’s 65th birthday! 65 years ago, the Cony Chatter
was written exactly like this. The only difference between this and
an issue from 65 years ago is that this was created on a computer. I
hope you enjoy this issue. Your friend in scouting...
Tanner Connelly
Philippines Scouts and Families Need
Our Help! Donate Items in January!
Have you ever be faced with a nature
disaster in your area? Imagine your house
being completely flattened. Your clothes
completely ruined. Your belongings
completely washed away. This happened
to our fellow brothers in the Philippines.
How can you help?
S i m p l e, a t
your Januar y
chapter meeting
your Chapter
Chief will have
two boxes, one
Shirts
labeled T-Shirts
another one
labeled Shorts.
Bring all your
Page 2
s to
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R
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Hono
•• Youth ••
Tomas Cabrera
(Kodiak)
Vince Decker
(Spirit Eagle)
Connor Desmond (White Eagle)
Devin Dunn (Kodiak)
Zachary Herzog (White Eagle)
Adam Huck (Kodiak)
Keenan Kimmick (White Eagle)
David Madden (White Eagle)
Bryan Melonis (White Eagle)
Joseph Pecher (White Buffalo)
Matt Robak (Running Antelope)
Jack Ryan (Medicine Pipe)
Peter Srsich (Kodiak)
Troy Stephens (Medicine Pipe)
Robert Swank (Medicine Pipe)
James Williamson (Medicine Pipe)
•• Adults ••
David Bowen (White Buffalo)
Jennifer Burke (Kodiak)
Michael Dunn (Kodiak)
Terry Herzog (White Eagle)
Duncan Shields (White Eagle)
Dana Smerchek
(Running Antelope)
Richard Swank (Medicine Pipe)
Tammy Tunis (White Buffalo)
gently used t-shirt’s and shorts and
place them in a box. The chapter with
the most articles of clothing will
receive a prize at banquet!
Shorts
We Got Smarter!
Lodge Leadership
Development Rocked!!
Tahosa Lodge LLD was held
November 2 at Faith Bible Church in
Arvada. Over 125 Tahosa Lodge
members and honored guests
gathered with Jordan Hughes,
National Vice Chief, for a day of team
building, leadership development, and
cheerful service.
With 16 different class options,
LLD 2013 was a huge hit! From camp
promotions to ceremonies and project
management, this year’s attendees
walked away with world class training.
Our ceremonies team worked
hard on a wonderful presentation for
the entire group. Be on the lookout
for next year’s LLD which will offer
another opportunity for our leaders to
hone their
skills and push
themselves
toward
greatness. See
you next time!
NLS: What an Experience!
by Colton Buckingham, Spirit Eagle Chapter
If you want to have fun while at the same time learn great leadership
skills National Leadership Seminar (NLS) is the place to be. This past
fall I had the pleasure of attending NLS at Camp Tracy in Salt Lake City. What a valuable experience.
At NLS, you will learn leadership skills, how to motivate others,
problem solving skills, and techniques to guide teams. I have also attended
Bighorn and NAYLES. NLS is a great extension of these other leadership
training courses.
At NLS we were paired up so that no two people were from the same
lodge. This was helpful for meeting new people, making friends, and
sharing new ideas. I met people from the local Salt Lake area, San Diego,
and I made new friends from Colorado.
The weekend has interactive power points and activities that made the
learning fun and exciting, not just a typical class room setting. Don’t miss
out on playing the game of life. It caught everyone by surprise. I won’t
spoil it for you, but it’s a blast and you learn a lot about team work. Another exciting activity involved building a structure as tall as you
can make it using a single sheet of paper. Some of them were over three
feet tall. Doing this takes a lot of team work. The fun didn’t stop at the
end of the day. We also had a great time “after hours”. We played games,
ate great food watched, movies and socialized.
At NLS I learned a lot of valuable skills that I have taken back to my
lodge, my troop, and used in my daily life. This course is exciting, fun, well
run, and worth the time to go. I recommend everyone attend!!
Page 3
Tahosa’s
65th Reunion
By Thomas Nortman, Fall Fellowship
Chairman, and Tanner Connelly
Camp Tahosa for more competition
and fellowship!
Over 250 hundred arrowmen,
from every corner of the state,
gathered at Peaceful Valley Scout
Ranch for a weekend of cheerful
service, lots of fun, and phenomenal
food provided by the Arrow Bistro.
As it was Fall Fellowship, we
sent off the Vigil Candidates for
their night and their ceremony.
Friday night kicked off with a fun
game of “gnome toss,” and then
everyone formed up in a coliseum
style round-after-round competition
for a multitude of rapid fire
chapter competitions. Everyone
was sent off to bed after snacks.
The chapter competitions
started immediately Friday evening
and continued until we left on
Sunday. We played Volleyball,
searched for dragon eggs, got
wrapped up like a mummy, and so
much more.
After breakfast the next
morning all of the chapter chiefs
were “kidnapped” leading to a
frantic search all across the Peaceful
Valley property. That led into two
more events that were even more
competitive than the last.
The pig roast Saturday
evening was the perfect end to our
activities. The meal was amazing! We
also got to talk with fossils we dug
up from the history of Tahosa
Lodg e. Also, all Scouters in
attendance got a collectable chenille
flap that is really cool.
It was truly an amazing
weekend that we got to enjoy and
celebrate 65 years of our great lodge.
I hope to see you all next year at
Page 4
storyline of brotherhood and Harry
Potter, it was the perfect way to
spend a weekend.
Truly, Fall Fellowship this year
was a blast; jam-packed with fierce
chapter competitions and a
All the chapters then circled
up in a basketball style “quidditch
game” full of close-quarters frantic
action. And after that the chapters
got into a tournament competition
of flip cup and everyone had an
awesome time consuming the
Fall Fellowship and
Was Simply Epic!
copious amounts of soda that ended being the perfect way
to start out lunch.
Lunch was held on the beach, thanks to our
wonderful Arrow Bistro. Once they were done eating,
people couldn’t have had a better time with all of the
different bounce houses that had been rented just for the
occasion. From a
“boxing arena” to a
king of the hill style
battleground, to a
volleyball tournament,
there was a little
something for everyone
at the beach.
It was around
this time that we began
to see the Vigil
Candidates reappear.
For several years, it has been our tradition at Fall
Fellowship to honor those who have been nominated for
the opportunity to stand their Vigil. This year Tahosa
honored 24 members who have had a tremendous impact
in Tahosa Lodge.
As a part of the reunion, we hosted a Vigil
Member Luncheon. There were nearly 100 Vigil Honor
members there from most of the past decades that Tahosa
has been a lodge. It was very cool to know that so many of
our past brothers came out for the event. The lodge
intends to make the Vigil luncheon and Vigil weekend a
much more special event than it already is, so Vigil
members: keep your eyes and ears open for news coming
along in 2014.
Back in the later part of the afternoon, the youth
gathered in Gilwell Hall to conduct the annual election
of new lodge officers. It’s always interesting to see who’ll
be r unning the lodge for the upcoming year.
Congratulations to Collin Metscher as he was elected our
2014 Lodge Chief. He and his team will do an amazing job!
Once dusk started to reach us, it was time for the
reunion to start. What a great time with arrowmen from
nearly all 65 years of Tahosa’s history together in one
place. Mrs. Patti Nortman
did an outstanding job
organizing the evening’s
events, and a big thank you
to Tom Behnfield, Blaine
Mullen, and the Arrow
Bistro for the very tasty pig
roast and BBQ dinner! This
was the real deal, complete
with a real used-to-be-alive
pig. T he evening was
emcee’d by Devin Dunn
and hosted special guest speaker and Assistant Chief
Scout Executive, Tom Fitzgibbon. Mr. Fitzgibbon came
all the way from Dallas, Texas and the national Scout
Office to be with us. Tahosa’s 65th anniversary reunion that
would knock the socks off any self-respecting Arrowmen.
Everyone that stayed on got an amazing experience
with a special rededication ceremony and an after-party
complete with real root-beer keg. The festivities ended the
next day with a tomahawk throwing competition. The
last and final thing was the award ceremony in which
White Buffalo Chapter left the weekend with The Cony
Cup, having won the coveted award for Top Chapter at Fall
Fellowship. They own it until next year when all of the
chapters will once again get a chance to vie for the honor
of winning this trophy.
The weekend would not have happened if not for
some great people. Thank you to Curtis Letson, my Fall
Fellowship Adviser, and to my mom who organized the
reunion. Also, thank you to the officers and
chairmen who made this happen, and to the Arrow
Bistro! You guys rock. Also, thank you to Sean
Morrissey to did all of the A/V for the reunion. It
made a big difference. Thanks!
For all of you that were there, thank you so much
for coming and making it such a great event, and for
all of you that were there, we can’t wait to see you
next year!! Go Tahosa!!
Page 5
Lodge
Chiefly
Thoughts
by James Williamson,
2013 Lodge Chief
Brothers,
The year is beginning to come to a close for our
lodge, and what an incredible experience it has been!
I’m so proud of all the things we have accomplished in
2013! From a record-breaking attendance at our
banquet in January to a huge Tahosa turnout at the
section conclave in April... from four amazing cony
parties, to the hours of service we provided at Peaceful
Valley Scout Ranch during summer camp to from the
most exciting fall fellowship in the history of the lodge,
which included the grand 65th reunion celebration... and
wrapping up with the spectacular LLD we had in
November, guys, all of you made this year rock!
I cannot thank our Arrowmen enough for the
cheerful service they continue to provide to Scouting
and the Order. In October we sent a council
contingent of almost a hundred Scouts and Scouters to
Spanish Peaks Scout Ranch to begin rebuilding the
camp after it was almost completely destroyed by
wildfires this summer. This to me reflects greatly upon
the leadership qualities that our Arrowmen posses.
With the outstanding leadership our lodge has, I know
Tahosa has a bright future on the horizon!
I would like to personally invite you to our 2014
Tahosa Lodge banquet that will be on Saturday, January
11. In addition to our delicious dinner, we will celebrate
our lodge’s highlights and achievements from 2013,
recognize our new Founders Award recipients,
inaugurate our new lodge chief, and call out our 2014
Vigil Honor candidates. Please remember to bring your
parents, grandparents, siblings, spouses, and guests to
join us for the celebration! Registration is open at the
lodge website: www.tahosalodge.org!
I’m looking forward to seeing you there, but until
we meet again in the meantime…
Seek to Serve,
James Williamson
2013 Tahosa Lodge Chief
Page 6
Live the Dream: Be Your
Chapter’s Chatterer!!
Join the Chatter Team and Make
Your Chapter’s Voice Heard
Do you enjoy having your work published? It’s a
great feeling, isn’t it? If you want to be a part of
something incredible, come and help us with The
Cony Chatter. The future of your
chapter, the lodge, and maybe even
TER
Y CHAT
THE CON
the world depends on it!
What you’re holding in your hands
now is something created by fellow
Arrowmen like you. Working on
the Chatter is rewarding and will
show to others that you are a
determined Scout who enjoys what
they’re doing. Plus, we have the best
newsletter in the OA ... you’ll want to be on the
team!
Each Chapter should have a Cony Chatter
Chatterer Chairman (we call it the “4C”). You’ll get
to learn some amazing layout skills (almost as good as
ninja skills), write and get published, and decide on
what the Chatter looks like. Our first Chatter
meeting is in January so tell your Chapter Chief you
want in! Each Chapter should have an adult adviser
that works on the team, too!
Then, contact the amazing Lodge Vice Chief of
Communications & Promotions, Tanner
Connelly, and tell him you're
on the team! His email is
c o n n e l l y. t a n n e r @
yahoo.com or you can
message him on Facebook!
Join the Chatter team now Maybe soon you can be the
Lodge Cony Chatter
Chairman!
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Check out All the Eagle
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+Arrowmen!
“I guess you could say my
biggest concern for the playoffs is getting
home field advantage – I really want to
make the Lodge Banquet. I hear you can
register at www.tahosalodge.org"
Lodge Banquet
Friday Jan 10th
$21 • 6pm
Register today!
Project Phoenix Helps Rebuild
Local Colorado Camp
Article by Josh Field, Lodge Vice Chief of
Administration and Chris Severns,
Medicine Bear Chapter Associate Adviser
Spanish Peaks Scout Ranch, a
camp being built up from the ashes.
Denver Scouts, families, and
Arrowmen are
helping make that
vision a reality.
It was the 3rd
day of the 2013
Spanish Peaks
Scout Ranch
(SPSR) summer
camp season. One
of the 200 scouts
at camp noticed
smoke on the east
Spanish Peak and
alerted staff. The
conditions had
been dry for a few
years and a lighting
strike turned into a big fire quickly.
SPSR was evacuated in two hours and
much of the camp was destroyed.
SPSR is owned by the Sante Fe
Trail Council (Garden City, KS).
Council volunteers began in midsummer working every weekend
possible to get camp ready for
summer 2014. They developed the
idea of Project Phoenix to bring
people from all over Colorado
together to help the cause. Tahosa
Lodge and the DAC stepped up to the
plate to answer the call.
Project Phoenix was an absolutely
great success! During the weekend of
October 18-20, nearly 90 people from
Denver came down an hour south of
Walsenburg to participate and serve.
Tahosa Lodge put out the word
that Project Phoenix needed people to
back fill and finish the terraces. If
this work was not done, spring thaws
might take out the campsites below
the burn area. Tahosa Lodge and the
Denver Area Council came to SPSR
with 85 Scouts and Scouters.
Most people arrived
after dark as the days were getting
shorter and the drive from Denver
was long. We all set up camp and
Friday night was cold; 22 degrees.
Luckily, the spirt of service helped
warm our hearts, plus a great big
batch of hot cocoa served up by the
Arrow Bistro staff!
During the weekend there was
great fellowship and lots of fun, even
though we were working! We installed
close to 150 water bars on a hill slope,
just above the old campsites #8-13.
The purpose of the water bars was to
help slow down water and any other
debris caused by the melting of snow
this spring.
Crews of Arrowmen, parents,
and Scouts worked through the
morning raking and shoveling. The
terrain was treacherous, little pine and
oak trees only one to two feet tall
made for black skewers sticking up
from the ground.
Heavy boots were needed. If you
have never walked on ash, it is kind of
like walking on ice all the time and
very easily gives way. However there
were no injuries and
the whole day was a
success. It was a real
pleasure to work with
Mr. Ed Fuller on the
weekend and have
such a great time.
One of the biggest
acts of service was by
Tahosa’s own Arrow
Bistro staff. Led by
Greg Holt, the Bistro
served breakfast,
lunch, dinner, and
breakfast on Sunday to
all 115 participants,
not just the people from Tahosa. This
was such a gift, as after a cold night
and hard day working, it was great to
have a hot meal we didn’t have to take
time to cook ourselves.
Spirits were high all day and into
the evening. At dusk and after dinner,
several people headed home. For
those who stayed, the Arrow Bistro
whipped up nachos and popcorn for
that evening’s cracker barrel. We sang
songs, took pictures, and enjoyed
creating brotherhood with Scouts and
Scouters from other councils.
All in all, it was great to give
service to another camp and council.
If you missed out, there will be more
opportunities in the spring of 2014 to
offer service to this great camp.
Page 7
The Cony
Chats
by Tanner
Connelly (inspired
by Kent Bowers)
Have you ever
listened to the wild
whipping through the Pines? Have you
ever heard the gurgling of a high
woodland stream, or seen the lapping of
waves from the lake upon the sunbathed
shores? All these facets of Nature have a
message for those who listen.
Scouting is one of the finest groups
that tries to teach love for the beauty of
Nature. The Order of the Arrow was
created to honor those who have come to
know Nature, and also to help other
Scouts learn to enjoy and appreciate it.
Some people in large metropolitan
areas, either due to circumstances or the
lack of personal will, have never seen the
sun rise or set unless it was over the
cluttered urban skyline. The only peace
these people find in their lives is after
the 5 o’clock rush hour on I-25.
Such is a hectic environment
which man has spun around himself. It
is good for the soul to go “out” every once
in a while to the world as it existed
thousands of years before man’s cities
dotted its horizons.
We, as Arrowmen, should make a
definite effort to see that Scouts, just like
ourselves, have the chance to know what
a thrill it is to sleep alone under the
stars, kindle a campfire on a frosty
morning, and live in companionship with
Nature under the tall Pines.
America provides such natural,
beautiful and convenient campgrounds
for us Scouts. Arrowmen have an
excellent opportunity to insure a good
camping program, not only in the
individual Unit, but in the Council too.
Our watchword is Service, so let’s serve
to our fullest capacity in the spirit on
which out Order was founded.
The Order of the Arrow may be
pictured as a tree. The base and trunk is
the Camping and Hiking Committee. The
other Committees are the branches and
the leaves. But, the whole tree can’t exist
without the roots of Cheerful Service.
Page 8
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1
Did You
Know?
The first OA ceremony
was held at Camp
Treasure Island in
Philadelphia in 1915?!
(oa-bsa.org)
tlm fal}or,
ralse tot try
lnfl,atlon,
constan latned.
Chlef, exp
High Adventure. Get Some.
Do you need an escape from
the monotony? If your answer is
yes, the OA has what you want.
Each summer,
the OA offers
five amazing high
adventure
opportunities to
meet
your
summer needs. Whether taking a
plunge at OA Ocean Adventure
in the Florida Keys, doing some
mad paddling at OA
Wilderness Voyage
and OA Canadian
Odyssey in the
boundary waters of
Minnesota,
backpacking in
Scouting’s paradise
at Philmont’s OA Trail Crew, or
exploring the new Summit
Bechtel Reserve, you are going to
have a blast.
Brand new for 2014 is the
OA Summit Experience! This
week-long program is all about
adventure and helping you be a
stronger leader
for your chapter.
Based at the
Summit Bechtel,
you will love the
amazing adventures there and the
beauty of West Virginia. Cost:
$250 and you must be at least 14
but not yet 18 years old.
The three other major
programs are roughly two weeks
in duration. At OATC, OAWV,
and OACO, the first week is all
about cheerful service that makes
a huge impact for
our national bases.
The second week is
up to your crew:
you will hike,
paddle, or sail
where you choose,
not on some pre-determined
trek like regular crews. Cost for
these is between $200-250 and
participants must be 16-20.
OA Ocean Adventure is the
finishing program, and it is
reserved for graduates of OATC,
OAWV, and/or OACO. It gives
preference to arrowmen 18+ who
are Eagle Scouts. The cost is
$500. All it takes to participate is
to complete an app, have the
lodge adviser and scout executive
sign it, and then send it in with
your deposit.
Please go to adventure.oabsa.org for more info or to
download an application!
We’re on Facebook. Be our friend.
www.facebook.com/tahosalodge
Spend Your Summer
Doing What Others Only
Dream They Could Do!
“I’ve come to the conclusion that we don't live life for
ourselves. We live it for the people and the world
around us; constantly trying to change things and do
what we think will make things better.
Also, I realized that it’s not the big things we do that
people remember us for. It’s the small things that we
do like holding the door open for someone or saying
hello to someone that looks like they are feeling down.
I've realized that these small everyday things can have
the biggest impact on people sometimes.”
~ Matt Johnston, Tahosa Member
To My Brothers in Tahosa,
A Message
from W5S
Section Chief
Dillon Giles
I would like to personally
congratulate all of you for the
successful Fall Fellowship and Lodge
Leadership Development Tahosa Lodge
recently hosted. It was an honor for me
to be able to celebrate the 65th
anniversary of your lodge at Camp Cris
Dobbins.
The bonds of brotherhood
could be felt by all that weekend and it
proved these bonds tie us each to every
other no matter where we live or the
various backgrounds we come from. I
would also remind you all to make the
most of every Order of the Arrow event
you go to.
On average an Arrowmen is only
a youth for between four to six years,
so make the most of it. Lets not wait for
When you get a job working at one of
Denver Area Council’s summer camps, you
get to have eight weeks (eight whole
weeks!) of that mind-blowing summer
camp experience. It gets even better! You
even get PAID!
That’s right, you
get money for
having a blast in
the outdoors.
What else can
you ask for?
Okay, here’s
the deal: if you’re 16+ apply to be a fulltime counselor. Those Arrowmen 14-15,
be a Counselor In Training (CIT).There’s
nothing in the world like being a summer
camp counselor!
Apply now as staff hiring is
happening as you read this – January is
crunch time! Applications are at:
www.denverboyscouts.org/camping/join-campstaff/44309#1
the memories to come to us, but instead
lets go out and make them while we are
still young. For me, it is not the theme or
activities that make an OA event special
but the new brothers I get to meet.
Tahosa's Fall Fellowship was definitely
one of those special events, thank you
all for making it that way.
Finally, mark the calendars for
the 2014 W-5 South Section Conclave
April 4th-6th.this year it will be hosted
by your very own lodge. Come meet
your fellow brothers from across the
three other Lodges in the Section.
Maybe you could help your lodge take
home the coveted Bronze Moose.
Yours in Service,
Dillon Giles
2013W-5 South Section Chief
Page 9
Time for Some
Running Antelope
Running Antelope Chapter has
been up to many a thing in the last
couple months. Our August Lego
building competition, September
Apples to Apples extravaganza,
October Chapter
Elections, and
November
marshmallow
tower building,
all a blast.
Moreover, our
2 0 1 4 ch a p t e r
officers are
Michael MillsChapter Chief, Rudy Reynolds-Vice
Chief of Administration, Colton
Spolmer-Vice Chief of Service and
Activities, Cole White-Vice Chief of
Communications and Promotions, and
Jack Dale-Vice Chief of Inductions.
Congratulations to all you for being
elected.
Also, we
have
a
Facebook and
Twitter page,
like
@
“Running
Antelope” and
follow @
“RAChapter”.
More likes make the statistics more
interesting. Fun Fact, the highest traffic
time for the page is 9-10pm on Fridays.
Ultimately, this has been a great year
for Running Antelope Chapter and
we’re going to close the year out with a
bowling party bonanza in the first
week of December, and then do it all
even better next year. See you there.
Kodiak Chapter
Kodiak Chapter has a done a great
deal over the last couple of months. At
our last meeting we did many fun
activities. Some of the activities
including but not limited to, turkey
bowling, an over size game of Jenga,
and eating a slice of pumpkin pie at
Page 10
the end of the meeting.
Kodiak is enjoying our new ordeal
members that have completed their
ordeal at
one of the
four cony
par ties.
Kodiak
had many
a d u l t
members
join the
kitchen
staff at the
Cony Parties. Kodiak also supplied
members to help with Ceremonies
during the cony party season, as well as
Elangomats. Many members served as
an elangomat many different Cony
Parties. We are also looking forward to
our Brotherhood candidates sealing
their membership in the Order of the
Arrow.
Kodiak has also been
involved with helping Spanish
Peaks Scout Ranch rebuild after
their camp was destroyed in the
2013 Wildfire season. Kodiak
chapter hosted an amazing and
taste-filled chapter banquet that
was the highlight of November
16. At the banquet there will be
a silent auction, entertainment,
and great food. Kodiak elected their
new leadership team as well. Kodiak is
looking forward to more great
meetings and lodge events.
Medicine Pipe
Medicine Pipe had an amazing year
during 2013. I had a lot of fun getting
to work and learn more about new
guys in my
chapter as I
served as chapter
chief. My favorite
memory of the
year was getting
to play Frisbee in
the middle of a
field lit up by
stadium lights at
conclave.
I am excited
to see the way the chapter is changed
and molded into something of their
own as it is handed off to the three
new leaders. To all those Medicine Pipe
guys reading this, I enjoyed serving you
all and can't wait for 2014! Check out
this picture of three years of Medicine
Pipe Chapter Chiefs!
Spirit Eagle
Hey guys, Jacob Crooks here.
Spirit Eagle is going great! We have a
lot of active members at every
meeting, and from a variety of troops
too. At our meetings, we try to have
the most fun possible while secretly
training our members for Fall
Fellowship 2014. We came in third for
this last Fellowship, so we need to pick
up the pace and start winning again!
Spirit Eagle continues to have a great
showing at each lodge event like LLD,
and we’re promoting each event to get
Chapter Reports
as many guys out there as we
can. We are having a big
change for Spirit Eagle for
2014: Our chapter adviser,
Jeff Guard, is stepping down
from his ten-year term (ever
since we started as a chapter)
and won’t be our adviser for
2014. We thank him for his
wo n d e r f u l s e r v i c e a n d
leadership to the chapter and
welcome Dr. David Boyd as our new
adviser. In October, Spirit Eagle
elected me, Jacob Crooks, as our 2014
chapter chief. I’m excited to run the
chapter next year and hope to up the
ante for everything we do. We have
some solid goals that I think we can
definitely
a ch i e ve
to make
us better
than we
already
are!
Medicine Bear
Over the summer months our
Ordeal members attended the Cony
Parties to complete their Brotherhood.
We had 10 Brotherhood conversions
this year. Congratulations to these new
Brotherhood members!
In November we had our Chapter
Banquet. We had a great time
reminiscing about the past year. We
gave out lots of fun awards and had
great fellowship. A special thanks to
Robert (Steg) Stegmueller and Pattye
Stegmueller for their time and
creativity in making the awards and for
starting the
new annual
tradition of
beads for
participation
in
OA
activities.
Once
again in
December
we provided
service to the Westminster Historical
Society by helping them cook and
serve hot dogs and brats at their annual
tree lighting ceremony.
Goals for Medicine Bear in 2014
are to increase OA awareness in our
troops, increase our membership
numbers, increase the amount of
participation in OA activities and to
foster youth led activities and positions
in the Chapter. Most importantly
always have more FUN!!
White Eagle
Throughout the past few months,
White Eagle Chapter has done some
amazing things. In August our chapter
went ice blocking to welcome in the
new ordeal members. This was an
unbelievable night that brought
brotherhood to our chapter.
In October we had the chapter
elections, and Jack Vasquez was elected
to be the 2014 Chapter Chief. He is
going to be an amazing chief, and he
has some really good vice chiefs who
will help grow White Eagle chapter!
Moving into November, our
chapter had several members attend
LLD. During LLD White Eagle
bonded and became a stronger chapter
as a whole. Overall, White Eagle
Chapter is growing stronger as the
months pass, leading to the ultimate
holiday party on Thursday, December
5, 2013. See everyone at our first
chapter meeting in January!!
White Buffalo
White Buffalo continues to be
awesome! After winning the 2012
Chapter of the Year, we then won Fall
Fellowship this September! That was
awesome. We have been
working hard this year
to serve our district.
We h a d m a n y
people go to
Spanish Peaks for
the service project
(Oct), and our
Chapter Adviser Greg
Holt was in charge of the
kitchen there. Everyone loved the food
and we were proud that White
Buffalo’s leaders were helping so much.
It has been a good year for the
chapter. We brought in 30 new
members through Ordeals. Also really
good was that we converted more than
50% of our eligible Brotherhood
candidates, which is one of the highest
percentages in the lodge. Our chapter
membership grew 15% over last year
a n d we r e t a i n e d 7 5 % o f o u r
membership from 2012. We are proud
of this and hope 2014 is even better!
Page 11
Congratulations to Tahosa’s Newly
Elected 2014 Lodge Officers!!
Connor
Tanner
J.C.
Johnny
Collin
Tanner Connelly
JC Rogers
VC Communications
and Promotions
VC of Service and
Activities
Johnny Srsich
Connor Black
Lodge Chief
Vice Chief of
Administration
Vice Chief of
Inductions
School
and Year
Ponderosa HS
• Junior •
Grandview HS
• Junior •
East High School
• Junior •
Mullen High School
• Junior •
Columbine HS
• Sophomore •
Unit and
Rank
Troop #88
Eagle Scout
Troop #113
Life Scout
Troop #199
Eagle Scout
Troop #130
Life Scout
Troop #554
Eagle Scout
Most
Recent
OA Job
Cony Chatter
Chairman
Medicine Pipe
Chapter Chief
Brotherhood
Chairman
Kodiak Chapter
Chief
Ordeal (Cony Party)
Chairman
Favorite
Singer /
Band
Mac Miller
Skillet
Alt-J
Zac Brown Band
Justin Timerberlake
Chipotle
or Chickfil-A
Chipotle
Chick-fil-A
Neither, they’re too
mainstream
Chick-fil-A
Chipotle
dream job
Pro Drag Racer
Pilot
Scott Beckett
Lawyer / Judge
Officer in the Military
favorite
Quote
“I am thankful for
laughter... except
when it comes out of
my nose.”
“There are two rules
to success. #1: Don’t
tell them everything
you know.”
“Trust thyself - every
heart vibrates on
that iron strong.”
“All generalizations
are false, including
this one.”
“Friendship is
magical.”
Woody Allen
Not Telling
Ralph Waldo
Emerson
Mark Twain
Twilight Sparkle
Pure Awesomeness
More Disney Stars Going
Down a Dark and Scary
Road
Teamwork
Horse
Swag
2014 the
year of...
Page 12
Collin Metscher
Say Hello to the 2014 Chapter Chiefs
(The Magnificent 7) and their Advisers!
School
Green Mountain High School • Junior
+Year:
Michael Mills
--Unit+Rank: Troop #748 • Eagle Scout
Running
Antelope
Hero:
Snoopy
Chapter Chief
2014
dream job: Renewable Energy Professional
School
+Year:
Arvada West High School • Sophomore
Zach Nielson Unit+Rank: Troop #21 • Eagle Scout
--Kodiak Chapter
Hero:
My mother
Chief 2014
dream job:
Commercial Airline Pilot
School
+Year:
Highlands Ranch High School • Freshman
Jack Vasquez
Unit+Rank: Troop #783 • Life Scout
--White Eagle
Hero:
President Theodore Roosevelt
Chapter
Chief 2014
dream job: Engineer
School
+Year:
Arapahoe Community College • Sophomore
Jacob Crooks
Unit+Rank: Troop #16 • Life Scout
--Spirit Eagle
Hero:
My dad
Chapter
Chief 2014
dream job: Chemical Engineer
School
Legacy High School • Junior
+Year:
Christian
Femrite
Unit+Rank: Troop #212 • Eagle Scout
--Medicine Bear
Hero:
Richard Cherrington
Chapter Chief
2014
dream job: University Professor
School
+Year:
George Washington High School • Sophomore
Ben Thompson
Unit+Rank: Troop #5 • Life Scout
--White Buffalo
Hero:
Steve Irwin
Chapter Chief
2014
dream job: Herpetologist
School
+Year:
Smoky Hill High School • Freshman
Garrick Phillips
Unit+Rank: Troop #7171 • Life Scout
--Medicine Pipe
Hero:
John Cleese
Chapter Chief
2014
dream job: Long-term Couch Tester
Billy Reynolds
--Running Antelope
Chapter Adviser
--lakewoodbilly
@q.com
Stacy Mullen
--Kodiak Chapter
Adviser
--Stacy@
coloradojustice
now.com
Skip Atwood
--White Eagle Chapter
Adviser
--skip.atwood
@gmail.com
David Boyd
--Spirit Eagle Chapter
Adviser
--davidboyddc
@yahoo.com
Gary Moore
--Medicine Bear
Chapter Adviser
--1gmoore
@comcast.net
Greg Holt
--White Buffalo
Chapter Adviser
--gregholt
@aol.com
Patrick Krause
--Medicine Pipe
Chapter Adviser
--krause.p
@comcast.net
Page 13
Is Your Troop an OA Unit of
Excellence?! Earn it in 2014!
As the primary platform where the Scouting program
is delivered to youth, the unit is the most vital and
important level of the BSA for the Order to support.
The Order of the Arrow Unit of
Excellence Award seeks to identify
those units, and the leaders within
them, who excel at incorporating the
OA into their annual planning and
have the OA as a meaningful
component of a vibrant unit program.
The award may be earned annually, and a unit must
complete the full set of requirements in a given calendar
year. The award is a ribbon for the troop flag. The lodge/
chapter will present the ribbon to the unit at an
appropriate occasion. The requirements for OA Unit of
Excellence Award are :
Every six months ensure the SPL appoints one dues-paid
youth arrowman to serve as OATR and a dues-paid adult
arrowman as OATR Adviser.
Feature an annual presentation at a Court of Honor by
the OATR on the Order of the Arrow with a focus on the
accomplishments of unit members and their cheerful
service to Scouting.
Promote participation and provide transportation as
needed so that at least 50% of the unit’s OA members
attend at least one lodge event (not including their
Ordeal)
2014 Calendar
Jan 9 (Thu)
Jan 11 (Sat)
Jan 16 (Wed)
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Annual Lodge Banquet
Lodge Executive Council (LEC)
Feb 6 (Thu)
Feb 19 (Wed)
Monthly Chapter Meetings
LEC Meeting
Mar 1 (Sat)
Mar 6 (Thu)
Mar 12 (Wed)
Mar 19 (Wed)
Mar 22 (Sat)
Cony Party Bonanza
Monthly Chapter Meetings
LEC Meeting
Council Annual Dinner
Cony Fest: One Day of Service
Apr 3 (Thu)
Apr 4-6 (Fri-Sun)
Apr 16 (Wed)
Apr 26 (Sat)
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Section W5 Conclave (Denver)
LEC Meeting
Denver Area Council Scout Show
May 1 (Thu)
May 2-4 (Fri-Sun)
May 9-11 (Fri-Sun)
May 21 (Wed)
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Cony Party #1
Cony Party #2
LEC Meeting
June 1
June 5 (Thu)
Summer Camp Begins!
Monthly Chapter Meetings
100% of elected Scouts complete their Ordeal
Aug 2 (Sat)
Aug 7 (Thu)
Aug 9-10
Aug 15-17 (Fri-Sun)
Aug 20 (Wed)
Tahosa Summer BBQ & Bash!
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Vigil Weekend
Cony Party #3
LEC Meeting
Review the lodge calendar with the Patrol Leader’s
Council during annual planning so that no unit events
overlap with any full-lodge events
Sept 4 (Thu)
Sept 12-14 (Fri-Sun)
Monthly Chapter Meetings
Fall Fellowship & Lodge Elections
A chapter election holds an OA election for the unit
At least 30% of eligible troop/team members seal their
membership in the Order by converting to Brotherhood.
Scoutmasters (and OATR Advisers) who lead their
units three times in earning the OA Unit Award of
Excellence are eligible to awarded the OA Scoutmaster
(or OATR Adv) of Excellence Award. For the OA
Troop Rep who leads his unit to earning the award, he
w i l l e l i g i b l e t o b e awa r d e d t h e OA Tr o o p
Representative of Excellence Award. Both will be
presented by the lodge at an appropriate occasion.
Note for Adults: The OA Troop/Team Representative
Adviser is a new, official BSA adult position of
responsibility created for this
program. Its purpose is to create
the role for an adult to guide the
OATR and be a ‘voice of the Order’
at the adult level in the unit.
Patches for these positions can be
purchased through the BSA
Supply at the Scout Shop.
Page 14
The Tahosa Alumni
Association celebrated 75
years of an amazing camp! All
OA members, youth or adult,
are invited and encouraged to
join the TAA. There is no
place like Camp Tahosa and
there is nobody better than the
OA to help keep it strong!
The TAA has had a great
year and has worked closely
with Tahosa Lodge. The
service at Cony Party #3 was a
big help to the camp, and
some of the best work the OA
has done up there in years.
The TAA’s website is
www.tahosa.org and
membership is well worth it.
Join today and here’s to
keeping Camp Tahosa strong
for years to come!
Lodge Adviser’s Corner
Scott Beckett • (m) 949-306-6649
scottwbeckett@me.com
Congratulations, Tahosa Lodge!!
New Year’s is upon us and we in Tahosa, the
Order of the Arrow, and Scouting have much to
celebrate! Your lodge and chapter leaders, led by Lodge
Chief James Williamson, and a cadre of some of the
most amazing and dedicated Scouters you’ll ever meet
will remember 2013 as a Journey to Excellence Gold
Year! This is a tremendous accomplishment.
As you set goals and make plans for 2014,
remember that the Order is first and foremost about
service. Growing your unit, recruiting and retaining kids
in the program, and making Scouting stronger
everywhere you are is job #1. If not you, who?
Also, remember that wearing the sash and lodge
flap of the OA is both an honor and a responsibility.
Get your dues paid for 2014 so you can continue to
sport the hardware that shows you are
one of the best of Scouting: an
arrowman!
OUR OFFICERS SPEAK
Hey, you. Yeah, the
one with the face.
You’d make an
amazing ceremonialist!
No experience needed,
just a willingness to be
a part of the coolest
thing in Scouting! It’s
easy - tell your chapter
chief you want in. Do
it now - Cony Parties
will be here this Spring
before you know it!
~ Allowat Sakima
Each issue we ask our officers a good question. This issue we ask:
“Which of the three WWWs is the most important one?”
JOSH
DEVIN
JAMES
JACOB
CONNOR
The answer to this
question is not easy
but it is straightforward at the same
time. The most
important of the
three Ws of the
Order of the Arrow
is Witahemui. Our
brotherhood is
based on the idea of
service. I think it is
important to seek to
serve others.
The most important
W of the three is
Wingolausik or
cheerfulness
because as long as
a brother stays
cheerful in his
service and
brotherhood, each
will be much more
enjoyable and a lot
easier. It is also my
favorite point of the
Scout Law!
It's difficult for me
Wingolauchsik,
Wimachtendienk. As
to say which of the Attitude determines
Vice Chief of
three Ws is the most everything. Having a Inductions, I quickly
important because
cheerful attitude
learned that
they all are
causes people to
Brotherhood is the
connected together.
want to be around
ideal that joins us
But I would say that
you. It makes
all together and
the foundation of
everything you do
defines the unique
the three is
more fun, more
relationship we all
Witahemui, which is
worthwhile.
share. No matter
"service" because
Cheerfulness spurs where in the USA we
without it the Order
brotherhood, and
go, every brother
would have no
differentiates
supports each other
purpose of existing.
service and labor.
in our mission.
Page 15
Tahosa Lodge #383
Denver Area Council
Boy Scouts of America
10455 West 6th Avenue
Denver Colorado 80215
398
Tahosa Lodge Banquet is
Friday, January 10th!!
( Amazing BBQ )
+
+
+
( Awards )
=
Honorary
Banquet Chairman
( $21 )
( Chuck Norris is
a Happy Man )
Chuck says ‘be there!’
Register @ www.tahosalodge.org